Hi I am going on my holidays to Normandy next week and I was wondering which are the very best landmarks, memorials and of course museums to go to? I don't want to drag my family around to them all week, so I am after the best of them. Also any other none war / military stuff you can recommend? I am staying just outside Rouen, midway to Caen.

Hi, I've been to Normandy several times and still haven't seen everything. Of what I have seen.
One of the things that spring to mind is Arromanches, great museum (get there early) and a nice area. Might be a long drive from where you are staying.
Another nice place to visit is Quistreham (north of Caen), nice museum, memorial, and if some people are bored it's on the beach, actually most places are on or near a beach.
Of course there is the Ourne river bridge, which is a short but interesting visit.
Something that you see alot of is small road side museums, 99% these are private collections and usually are just small bits and pieces, like spoons, bullets, helmets and rifles. the odd one will have a Willis jeep.
A (non-ish) military visit is Bayeax, something for everyone. Several museums, one with the bayeax tapestry, a small tank museum, and the gardens of Monet, spring to mind.
Caen is a worhtwhile visit, see the castle of William the conqueror.
If you want any more specific info, just drop me a line.
Hope you enjoy your holiday.

I visited all the known beaches, Utah, Omaha, sword and so on when I was there... Really impressive is the one with the Caisson-harbour, just can't remember wich one that was.
Also pointe du Hoc is great, a memorial site if I remember corectly with a few destroyed bunkers still in place...
Enjoy your holliday!

cant think of the name of it as at work, but there is an old german bunker which has been converted into a really good looking muesum it also has one of the leopold class rail guns on show there as well.

Great stuff guys, keep them coming. I've got a week to fill and a digital camera to use. Lots of lovely armour

you refer to arromanches,

the site of the british mulberry harbour(the american one was destroyed by a storm) the museum there is excellent, and the town itself is also very nice, plenty of nice places to eat.

pegasus bridge is worth a visit, and theres a pretty good museum with the original bridge next to the modern one.

i wasnt impressed with caen, the memorial peace museum is one i would miss, especially if you are wanting to see armour etc. i didnt think it was worth the rather expensive entry fee.

one place i didnt go to but would like to see is villiers bocage, but its quite a drive inland if you are staying on the coast.

enjoy your trip

joe

Is that it? No one else has any recommendations? Oh well, I thought more of you would have been to Normandy.

oh yeah, while in arromanches, go to see the big round theatre thng on the cliff top.

you stand in a circular room surrounded by screens, a very moving and atmospheric display!.

the various cemetaries are also worth a visit.

st laurent, the main US cemetary at omaha, is as spectacular as it is moving.
the various british/commonwealth cemetaries are more spread out, but no less impressive or well kept.

the bayeax tapestry and the town of bayeax itself are nice.

hope that gives you a few more ideas

cheers

joe

I had a friend visit the Juno Beach museum that opened in the last year or two and he said it was very good.

HastyP